Cleanse Enhancing Activities

Breathing

BREATHING EXERCISE 1: BREATH OBSERVATION

Do this simple breathing exercise for five minutes once a day. Your goal is simply to keep your attention on the breath cycle and observe. No matter how the breath changes, even if the deviations become very small, just continue to follow them. This is a basic form of meditation, a relaxation method, and a way to begin to harmonize body, mind, and spirit.

1. Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight and your eyes lightly closed, having loosened any tight clothing.

2. Focus your attention on your breathing, and follow the contours of the cycle through inhalation and exhalation, noting, if you can, the points at which one phase changes into the other.

BREATHING EXERCISE 2: LETTING YOURSELF BE BREATHED

This exercise is best done while lying on your back, so you might want to try it while falling asleep or upon waking.

2. Now imagine that with each inhalation the universe is blowing breath into you and with each exhalation withdrawing it. Imagine yourself to be the passive recipient of breath. As the universe breathes into you, let yourself feel the breath penetrating to every part of your body, even your fingers and toes.

3. Try to hold the perception for ten cycles of exhalation and inhalation. Do this once per day.

BREATHING EXERCISE 3: THE 4-7-8

The 4-7-8 breath, is an ancient technique from the yogic tradition. Practice it at least twice a day.

Touch the tip of your tongue to the inner surface of the upper front teeth, then slide it just above your teeth until it rests on the alveolar ridge, the soft tissue between the teeth and the roof of the mouth. Keep it there during the whole exercise. Now exhale completely through the mouth, making an audible sound (a whoosh).

Then:

• Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a (silent) count of four.

• Hold your breath for a count of seven.

• Finally, exhale audibly through the mouth to a count of eight.

This constitutes one breath cycle. Repeat for a total of four cycles, then breathe normally

Belly Massage

This practice comes from the ancient modality known as Chi Nei Tsang (CHEE-NAYSAHNG), or Chinese Organ Massage. Chi Nei Tsang treatments are specifically designed to train the internal organs to perform better on their own. It is the reason why it works so fast, efficiently and offers long lasting results.

1. Lie down on your back on a mat or on a blanket on the floor. Lift your knees so your back and abdomen can relax, feet flat on the floor apart from each other knees resting against each other or in neutral position. You can put a pillow or two under your knees to support them if necessary.

2. Breathe effortlessly long and deep toward your sacrum and pelvic floor, filling up your abdomen first and then all the way inside your shoulder blades. Exhale dropping your chest first, then your abdomen. Continue to breathe deeply but gently like this throughout the entire treatment.

3. Using the fingers of both hands, feel the thickness and quality of your skin around the rim of your navel.

4. Massage firmly but gently, stimulating the circulation in the skin especially whenever you feel discomfort press more gently. In less than a week this step of the treatment improves digestion and elimination, will help rid you of chronic nerve, back, and neck pains, reduce water retention and help you lose weight. Recommended 5-10 minutes daily.

5. Moving away from your navel, massage with a pumping motion with your fingers using both hands as deeply as is comfortable. Alternate both hands to stimulate the intestinal transit and deep lymphatic system. This technique detoxifies by increasing the metabolic rate. Recommended 5-10 minutes.

Skin Brushing + Bathing

A skin brush is a long handled, non-synthetic, hard bristled brush used to help unclog pores and excrete toxins that become trapped in the skin. It’s also great for stimulating lymph and reducing cellulite. Long handled skin brushes can be purchased at a health food store or online. To get started, follow the simple steps below:

4. Take care as you brush over more sensitive areas,like breasts. Your skin will become less sensitive the more you dry brush.

5. Once you’ve brushed your entire body, jump in the shower. (I like to alternate between the hottest water temperature I can tolerate and the coldest. This stimulates blood circulation, bringing more blood to the top layers of the skin.)

6. After getting out of the shower, pat dry skin and slather your body with organic, body grade coconut oil.

7. Continue to dry brush your entire body every day.Twice a day is recommended for best results. Remember to clean your brush with soap and water once a week. Leave to dry in a clean, sunny spot to avoid any mildew accumulation on your brush.

Stretching, Massage & Exercise

Stretching, massage and exercise provide you with important opportunities to love and pay attention to your body, relieve stress, improve circulation, and improve muscle and organ health. Easy stretching and exercising should be included daily. Massage treatments are excellent.

Detox Tea

Detox tea usually includes gentle cleansing herbs that promote healthy liver function such as burdock, dandelion, licorice root, fennel seed and nettles. You can find a Detox Tea at your local health food store.

Saunas

One of the ways the human body removes toxins and speeds up metabolism is through sweating! People who are dehydrated or have low blood pressure may feel dizzy. The importance of being well hydrated before and during a sweating treatment cannot be overemphasized. This means sipping water over a long period before, not just guzzling a bunch of water immediately before or during your sauna.

To maximize health benefits, alternative between 10 minutes in a sauna, followed by a cold plunge or shower.

*Be sure to consult your doctor before taking a sauna if you are pregnant or have a heart or kidney condition.

Hungry?

Honoring Hunger & Fullness

Have you ever desperately binged on crappy foods because you suddenly realized you were starving and that’s what was most convenient? Or perhaps you’ve had the experience of overeating to the point of needing to unbutton your pants or take a nap. Neither is optimal.

Most of us generally wait until we are too hungry to make good decisions or eat far too much for our energetic output. A cleanse is opportunity to recognize those habits and make changes that support you feeling nourished, energized and alive. Honor your hunger by prepping meals when you are mildly hungry vs. starving.

Honor your fullness by completing your meal when you are about 70% full. What this means is eating to be energized, but still having room in your belly. If you are feeling the compulsion to continue to eat beyond 70%, pause, tell your body you will eat again later, that this meal or snack is complete, have a cup of tea and engage in a cleanse enhancing, non-food oriented activity.

True Hunger or Emotional Hunger?

Sometimes we feel hungry and we truly are hungry. Perhaps we didn’t eat enough for the output. Other times we become preoccupied with food. This is not a true hunger, but more of an emotional hunger. Emotional hunger urgently wants to be filled, usually with a specific food, like a comfort food and is often followed by feeling of guilt or shame.

Cultivate a BIG curiosity about what drives you to eat, especially outside of meal times. Become hyper aware, record insights in your journal. The awareness will help you make healthier, conscious choices that support you feeling great both during the cleanse and beyond.

Plantie does not diagnose, treat nor prescribe. We offer nutritional information and services to help you cooperate with your doctor or physician in your mutual plan of building better health. As always, please consult your personal physician before taking any dietary supplements and before beginning any diet or exercise program.